Automatic stabilizer for flying-machines



C. H. ROSSEEL.

AUTOMATIC STABILIZER FOR FLYING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED .IAN-12,1918.

Patented Dec. 21, 1920.

6 SHEETS-SHEET I.

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(jwuwntoz C. H. ROSSEEL.

AUTOMATIC sIAIIILIzER FOR FLYING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED IAN. I2. I9I8. 1,362,965. Patented Dec. 21, 1920.

, 6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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c'. H.' Rossem.

AUTOMATIC STABIALIZER FOR FLYING MACHINES.

Patented me. 21,1920.

l APPUCATIDN FILED JAN. l2. l9l8. 1,362,965.

6 SHEETS-SHEU 4.

C. H. ROSSEEL. AUTOMATIC STABILIZER FOR FLYING MACHINES.

f APPLICATION FILD 1AN.12, |918. 1,362,965. Patented De@.21,1920.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 5- l//4 .Wl

Snom/Hw C. H. ROSSEEL. AUToMATIC STABILIZEH FOB FLYING MACHINFS.

APPUCA'TION FILED JANl l2, |918.

Patented Dec. 21, 19211 6 SHEETS-SHEEI 5- Fa'llhl'f QF'FIQCQE.

CHARLESH. ROSSEEL, 0F WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

AUTIVIATIC STABILIZER EUR FLYING-lllCT-TINES.

i ,scenes Application filed January 12, 1918.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. Rossem., a citizen of the United States oit America. residing;l at lVorcester, in the county of TWorcester and State ot Massachusetts, have invented certain new and `useful improvee ments in Automatic Stabilizers for Flying'- Machincs, of Which the following is a speciiication7 reference being' had therein to the aeconipanying` drawings.

rlhis invention relates to an automatic stabilizer tor iiying machines, and more' pan ticularly to a new and eilicient pendulum actuated device tor the prevention ot a flying' machine Jfrom accidentally falling.

The principal object ci my invention is the provision of novel and etiicicnt means tor stabilizing' or automatically controlling;- a living' machine for preventing arcidents when a machine equipped with a mechanism constructed in accordance with my invention is suddenly acted upon by a gust oit Wind or by variable air currents as is Otten encountered in flying.

`With this and other objects in view my invention consists ot certain novel combinations, constructions and arrangements of parts as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

ln the drawings F ipgure 1 is a top plan view of a flying' machine with my `improved mechanism attached thereto.

Fig'. 2 is a top plan view o'I a mechanism constructed in accordance With the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional View. taken on line Fig. 2.

Fig'. s; is a horizontal sectional view of the mechanism shown in Fig'. 2.

Fig'. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on line Fig. 2.

Fig'. 6 is a fragmentary the pendulum device. n

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of a modified form of my invention showing' particularly the beveled. gear on the drive shaft below the beveled gears ot the driven shafts.

Fig. 8 is a view in side elevation of the clutch, while l Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view of the clutch7 looking' at the rear thereof.

Fig. 10 is a View in side elevation ot the locking dog' ofthe clutch.

sectional view of Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 21, 1920.

Serial No. 211,536.

Fig. 11 is a sectional view taken on line .i1-i1, Fig. 5.

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary View in side elevatlon of the primary section of the clutch.

Fig. 13 is a sectional view taken on line 12a- 13, Fig. a

Fig. 14; is a sectional view taken on line 14-14, Fig. 8.

Fig. 15 is a perspective view of the l0ckmg' frame oi the mechanism.

Fig. 16 is a sectional view taken on line lana Fig. 3.

Fig'. 17 is a fragmentary sectional vien7 of another embodiment ot my invention, While Fig'. 18 is a fragmentary top plan vievv ot the embodiment shown in Fig'. 17.

Fig. 19 is a fragmentary, longitudinal sectional. view through the ratchet sleeve.

Fig. 2O is an end elevation of one part of the ratchet sleeve. i

iter considerable investigation I have invented the following described mechanism for making' flying; machines sate under all conditions. irrespective as to Whether the engine or motor becomes inoperative, when the machine is underthe greatest stress, or Whether the air currents vary, causing' gusts of Wind or undue strain to be placed upon the planes While the machine is in the air.

In the accompanying drawings l have shovvn the preferred embodiment of my mechanism, and have illustrated in Fig. 1 the application oi my invention to a flying machine of the biplane type, but my mechanism is susceptible ot adaptation to many different types ot flying; machines since the principle ot operation is the same, although there might be some slight change or alteration in the connecting means between my stabilizing' mechanism and the parts ot the machine governed 'for controlling' the same.

referring to tho drawings by numerals 1 designates the frame ot the machine to which is secured the inner bracket trame or casing '2 and the outer bracket or bearing trame '.lheserframes 2 and 3 illustrate bearings tor the parts hereinafter described, and said trames 2 and 3 are suitably bolted or otherwise preferably detachably secured f to the frame of the iiying machine.

The driving` shaft Il is j ournaled upon the trame 2, being `prmfented trom sliding down upon the frame 2 by the usual locking' collar 5, Fig. 3. Y

The driving` shaft l is provided with a gear 6 meshing with worm gear 7, which worm gear 7 is keyed to shaft 8, and secured to shaft 8 is a large pinion wheel 9. The engine shaft l() is provided with a gear l1 meshing with the pinion 9, and through this just described arrangement of gears, pinions and shafts rotary movement is imparted to the driving shaft l preferably from the engine, although it will not be departing from the spirit of this invention to have connected up to driving shaft d an auxiliary motor or engine so that if the primary engine should become inoperative, for any reason whatsoever, the auxiliary motor or engine could be started by the operator of the Inachine and the stabilizing effect be procured while the main or primary engine was inoperative.

FiXedly secured to the driving shaft i is beveled gear l2, which gear l2 meshes with preferably four aeveled gears 13. Each gear 13 is fiXedly secured or keyed to a primary driven shaft lll, and as each primary driven shaft ll and its cooperating parts are similarly constructed, it will only be necessary to specifically describe one of the shafts lil, one of the. clutches associated therewith and one of the friction drum Vsleeves and its cooperating parts. lt is to be understood, upon referring to Fig. 1l 'tha l have employed four of these cooperating clutch and friction drum sleeve devices in the embodiment described in this application and consequently it would be superfluous to describe each one separately, as the description of one will suflice.

The primary driven shaft le is journaled in the lower portion of the frame 2, il, and preferably mounted upon the ball bearing of any preferred type, and to the inner end of shaft il is secured the primary section 15 of the clutch. rlhe primary section l5 of the clutch is provided with an annular rimr 1G, in the inner edge of which rim l@ are a series of receiving'poclrets or sockets l?, l2, that are adapted to receive the semi-cylindrical extension 18 of the shaft portion 19 of the locking dog (Fig. l0) of the clutch. The shaft portion 19 of the locking dog is integral with the body portion 20, which body portion 2O is provided with an apertured ear 21 (Fig. 9) and is provided also with a cani face 22 and a socket 23. A coil spring 2e is fastened at one end in the aperture or the ear 2l and by means, preferably by means of a screw, 25 is fastened at its other end to the auxiliary section 26 of the clutch so that the Atendency at all times is for the spring 24 to rotate the locking dog` sufficiently to cause the seniicylindrical end l8'to enter a pocket or soclret 17 of the primary section l5 of the clutch, as shown by dotted lines 18 of Fig. l2.

The auxiliary section 26 of the clutch is fastened to the auxiliary driven shaft 27,

which auxiliary shaft 2'? is mounted upon suitable ball bearings 28 carried by the journaled-braclret-frame 3, lligs. 3, d, and 5. rllhis auxiliary driven shaft 27 is keyed in a bushing or hub portion 29 of the auxiliary section 26 of the clutch, the auxiliary section being provided with an outer ring or section 30, Fig. 5, and upon the auxiliary section 26 is mounted the locking dog hereinbefore referred to.

ln the bracket frame 3, at 3l, is formed a suitable pocket for a lubricant, and on the auxiliary driven shaft 27 is a loosely mounted lubricant ring 32.

A ratchet sleeve is mounted upon the auxiliary driven shaft. 27, and surrounding the ratchet sleeve 33 is a friction sleeve 34, which friction sleeve 2% is provided with a pair of semi-circular'bralre bands 35, the frictional resistance of the semi-circular bands being governed by the screws 36. Cables or connecting means 37 are attached to the frictional control drum sleeve 34 through the medium of the eye-bolts'i.

Two sets of the cables 37 are connected to the wing-flaps 39, one cable of one set being connected to a flap at one end of the plane and the other cable of the set being connected to a ap at the other end of the plane, so that when the drum sleeve 34 is rotated-automatically the wing-flap at one Yend of the plane will be swung orwarped into 4a vertical position opposite to the wing- Hap at the other end of the plane actuated by the other companion cable of the set on the same drum sleeve. Uf course, it is to be understood that the wingl flaps are interconnected in the usual manner so that when one is lowered, the other may be raised and, therefore, the cables which extend to the wing flap on one side of the plane raise this flap, while the cables which extend to the wing flap on thebpposite side of the plane lower the same.

Besides the two. drum sleeves carrying each a pair of cables that operate the two sets of wing-flaps on the plane, l have provided two drum sleeves that carry cables or connecting means 38a, F ig. 2, which control the automatic movement ofthe wingf flaps l0 of the tail-piece of the machine.

Each cable 38 being fastened at one end to one of the drum sleeves and being fastened at its other end to another drum sleeve so that the warping or movement of the kconnected thereto upon the sleeve, but if the engine is running at too great a speed 'iso there will be permitted a sufficient give7 or sliding rotary movement of sleeve 34 with respect to ratchet sleeve 33 to relieve the undue strain and thereby not injuring the mechanism when undue or uncalled for strain is placed upon the cables and their respective drum sleeves 34.

In each ratchet sleeve 33 is a loosely mounted pin or pawl member 41 that is provided with a head 42, Fig. 5, working in a suitable slot 43 so that while the ratchet sleeve 33 travels in one direction, the sleeve will be locked in its rotary movement with respect to the auxiliary driven shaft 27, but when, the machine has returned to within the number Aor degrees the control is set at, allows the ratchet sleeve 33 to rotate backward, unwinding cable automatically and allowing the wing-flaps to close.

Referring particularly to Figs. 19 and 20, and to Fig. 5, it is pointed out that the ratchet sleeve 33 will be locked to the auX- iliary driven shaft 27 by the engagement of the pawl head 42 with the abrupt portion 42 of the ratchet, but when the sleeve 33 rotates in the opposite direction, the cam portion 43 of the ratchet will move the pawl 41 longitudinally of the auxiliary shaft so that the head will be located in the recess 44 in the ratchet sleeve, (see Fig. 19). Thus the sleeve, when rotating in one direction may have movement independent of the auxiliary drive shaft, but when the movement is in the opposite direction the drive shaft and the sleeve will move as a unit.

lt is to be noted that the ratchet sleeve 33 will be locked to the auxiliary driven shaft 27 when said shaft becomes clutched to the main driving shaft, upon the tilting of the machine to one side or the other throwing in the corresponding clutch. The rope drum sleeve 34 being in frictional engagement with ratchet sleeve 33, said drum sleeve will also be rotated and thereby wind the wing flap cables thereon and thereby operate and control the movements of said flaps to check the further tilting of the machine and subsequently bring the machine back to its normal position. l/Vhen the machine is righted and the clutch disengages the auxiliary shaft from the main shaft, the ratchet sleeve 33 will also become disengaged from the auxiliary shaft, which will allow the ratchet sleeve to rotate in a reverse direction to the direction of rotation of the auxiliary shaft upon the unwinding of the cables caused by the wing flaps returning to their normal position.

The lower end of the drive shaft 4 is threaded as shown in Figs, 3 and 6, and mounted upon the threaded end is a Vhollow ball member 44, that is held upon the threaded end of the shaft against displacement by means of a locking pin 45. The

pendulum casing 46 is suitably weighted, as indicated at 47, and the casing 46 is provided at its upper end with a flange 48 upon which flange 48 rests the cap 49. The cap 49 is detachably secured to flange 48 of the pendulum casing by means of bolts 50. The cap 49 is provided with a central opening 51, through which the threaded end of the drive shaft 4 extends, Figs. 3 and 6, and this cap 49 is provided with an annular ring, holding ball bearings 52 in position, bearing against the outer face of the hollow ball member 44, thereby supporting the pendulum casing 46 freely upon the hollow ball member 44 so that the pendulum casing is free to swing upon the lower end of the drive shaft for actuating the trigger fingers 53 of the trigger devices carried by the inwardly projecting extensions 54 of the auxiliary bearing brackets or frame 3. Each finger is pivotally mounted, at 55, within the socketed or outer bifurcated end of the body 56 of the trigger device. The body 56 is pivotally mounted upon the pin 57, and the inner end of the body 56 is adapted to swing or move over the cam face 22 (Fig. 9) of the locking dog and thence inte the socket 23 for holding the semi-cylindrical extension 13 out of the pockets or sockets 17 of the primary section of the clutch, thereby keeping the stabilizing mechanism in an inoperative position until an undue stress is placed upon the planes, causing the machine to tilt or lean or pitch in one direction, resulting in the pendulum casing 46 swinging to one side, causing the flange 48 to engage the trigger finger 53 on the side of the machine that is pitched downwardly to the greatest degree; this engagement by the pendulum casing 46 of the particular trigger finger will cause the body 56 to disengage the locking dog thereby permitting the spring 24 to swing the dog on its pivot, on the auxiliary section of the clutch, resulting in the semi-cylindrical eX- tension 13 entering the first pocket or socket 17 as the primary section of the clutch revolves, locking the two sections of the clutch against independent rotary movement, resulting in the engine imparting direct movement to the particular drum sleeve 34 through the connection hereinbefore described, causing the cables attached thereto to be wound thereon and the movement or warping of the wing-planes resulting therefrom, whereby the machine will be controlled or automatically Vguided in quickly attaining a stable position and entirely independent of the action of the operator, with a possible exception in the specific case wherein an auxiliary motor has to be utilised should tlm engine of the flying machine be temporarily inoperative. Right here l wish to state that if the engine of the machine is inoperative, ordinarily the `machine will have suliicient momentum to carry it several hundred feet, and by using an auxiliary engine to operate the shaft 4, the machine can be quickly righted or stabilized for preventing an accident, in the case it is found best to utilize my improved stabilizing mechanism Vfor preventing an accident.

Through the medium of spring 58, attached at 59, Fig. 5, to the yextension 54 of frame 3 and attached at 60 to the trigger finger 53, a downward pull is at all times exerted upon the trigger finger 53 resulting in the body 56 of the trigger device Vbeing pressed upwardly at its inner end causing Y the same to quickly seat itself in the socket fork or bifurcated portion 63, and upon the 28 of the locking dog when the machine is running smoothly in the air. It is only in case of distress or accident or sudden stress being placed upon one side or front or rear of the machine that the pendulum device is operated and the stabilizing mechanism thrown into action. l

Before the machine is started off the ground, the adjusting screws 61 are adjusted -to a nicety and said screws are locked in position byV the locking nuts as shown, thereby securing an adjustment of each trigger finger to such a degree as the mechanician or operator of the machine desires for causing the operation of the pendulumdevice in the case its protective action is needed.

lVith machines equipped with my improved stabilizing mechanism, when exhibition exhibits are to be given, or in case the operator or driver of the machine desires to cause the machine to radically ascend or descend, it will be desired to lock the stabilizing device so that the changing of the pitch of the wing-flaps as well as the tailfiaps will not be caused and therefore l have provided a bell crank lever 62, pivotally mounted at 63, Fig. 3, the inner ends of the bell crank lever 62 being provided with a ends of the bifurcated portion are suitably mounted rollers 64.- These rollers 64 are positioned against the drive shaft 4 (Fig. 16) and engage the underface of the top 65 of the locking frame, which frame comprises said top 65 and preferably four depending fingers 66, Fig. 15. The lower ends of lingers 66 are adapted to engage the top 49 of the pendulum frame creasing 46, thereby holding the casing 46 in true vertical alinement with the drive shaft 4, preventing any Vone of the trigger fingers 53 from being operated upon while the locking fingers 66 are engaging the top 49. A coil spring 67, Fig. 3, normally exerts a downward pressure upon the locking frame, which is provided with the fingers 66, so that when the lever 62 is released the spring 67 quickly forces the locking frame into engagement with the pendulum and thereby prevents its movement upon the ball member 44 until the locking device is released, hence permitting the operator of the machine to perform unusual feats with the machine such as tail-dip, spiral-dip, etc., without my improved stabilizer device interfering therewith.

In Fig. 7 l have shown the beveled gear 12 at the lower end of shaft 4 so as to mesh with the gears 13 underneath the same, as this arrangement may be found desirable in some eases.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 17 and 18, to the frame 1 of the machine l fasten a suitable casing 68 and to the bottom of casing 68 l detachably secure a supporting plate or member 69, which plate 69 is provided with a central opening 70 and with a ball race-way 71, in which race-way 71 are positioned the ball bearings 72. Supported upon the ball bearings 72 is the dishlike body portion 73 of the pendulum of this securing means, such as bolts 77 are positioned for'fastening the vertically adjustable cap 78 upon the flange 75.

l preferably provide four trigger devices 79 in this embodiment, each trigger device 79 being pivotally mounted at 80, and these trigger devices 79 are very similar in structure to the triggerdevices shown in Figs. 3 and 5, hence it will not be necessary to specifically describe these trigger devices 79 as the operation is very similar to the devices shown in the preferred embodiment, although it will be noted that the trigger devices 79 are of one piece each. Further, in the embodiment shown in Figs. 17 and 18 the drive shaft 4 and its coperating parts are similar to the embodiment of the drive shaft shown in Fig. 7, in which the beveled gear 12 is attached to the lower end of the shaft, placing the gear 12 under the beveled gears 13 as hereinbefore described.

When the flying machine tilts or is suddenly tipped to one side or forward or backward the pendulum'shown in Figs. 17 and 18 swings or rocks upon the ball bearing 7 2, causing one portion of the adjustable cap to engage the nearest trigger finger 79, presslOl lli:

ing rotary movement through the different parts to the friction drum sleeve 3a of the respective winding device for the cables as hereinbefore stated. The degree of adjustment of the pendulum and the trigger devices, in the embodiment shown in Figs. 17 and ld, can be accomplished to a nicety by means of positioning the bolts 77 :in difierent apertures 76, as it will be obvious that by lowering the bolts 77 the degree of pitch will be increased, whereas when they are in the position shown in Fig. 17 it will only be necessary for the machine to tilt slightly to cause the pendulum device to rock and engage the trigger finger on that side or portion of the machine that is tilted downwardly.

YVhat l claim is:

l. ln a mechanism of the class described, the combination with a frame, o a trigger device carried by said frame, a pendulum device carried by said frame and adapted to actuate said trigger device, a cable device supported by said frame, a clutch cooperating with said cable device and being controlled by said trigger device, and means for imparting rotary movement to said clutch device and said cable device when said pendulum device is moved for actuating the trigger device and releasing the clutch.

2. ln a mechanism of the class described, the combination with a frame, of a clutch carried by said frame, said clutch compris ing a primary and an auxiliary section, a rigger-controlled locking dog carried by said auxiliary section of the clutch and being adapted to lock the primary section against independent rotary movement with respect to the auxiliary section, cable winding means operably secured to said auxiliary :section of the clutch, driving means connected to the primary section of the clutch, and means for actuating said trigger device and releasing the locking dog of the clutch when said machine is tilted, whereby the cable winding means is automatically actuated for automatically righting or stabilizing the machine.

3. A clutch for flying machine stabilizer, comprising a primary and an auxiliary section, said primary section provided with an annular r'im and receiving sockets in said rim, said auxiliary section provided with a locking dog, said locking dog provided with an extension terminating in a semi-cylindrical projection, said locking dog also provided with an outer cam surface and with a trigger receiving notch, the semi-cylindrical projection being adapted to move into one of the receiving sockets in the rim of the primary section for locking said primary and auxiliary section against independent rotary movement.

4. A trigger finger device for an automatic stabilizer of the class described, comprising a support, a body pivotally mounted upon said support, said body provided With a socketed outer end, a trigger finger pivotally mounted in the socketed end of said body, bolts carried by the socketed ends of said body and having their inner ends engaging opposite portions of the trigger finger, and locking nuts on said bolts and engaging the socketed portions of' the end for retaining the trigger finger in an accurate adjusted position with respect to its pivot.

5. ln a mechanism of the class described, the combination with a iiying machine, of a pendulum device carried by said machine, a locking device carried by said machine and adapted to hold said pendulum device against operation, said locking device comprising a frame provided with depending iingers, and means moving said frame and lingers into engagement with said pendulum device,as the operator of the ying machine desires and means tending to prevent such movement.

6. ln a mechanism of the class described, the combination with a frame of a machine.

a pendulum device carried by said frame, of

a spring pressed locking frame carried by said f 'ame and adapted to move into engagement with said pendulum device, and a lever in engagement with said spring pressed locking frame for moving the frame out of engagement with said pendulum device and against the torsial strain of the spring.

y7. ln a mechanism of the class described, the combination ,with a frame, of a pendulum device carried by said frame, of a sliding locking device carried by said frame and adapted to engage said pendulum device for locking the same against movement. said locking device comprising a .trame provided with a plurality of depending iingers, a coil spring interposed between the trame of the locking device, and the lirst-mentioned frame, and said spring being adapted to normally force the lower or outer ends of the iingers into engagement with the pendulum device, a bell crank lever pivotally carried by said first-mentioned frame, said lever provided at its inner end with a yoke, the ends of said yoke being provided with rollers, and said rollers normally engaging the frame of the locking device, whereby the lever can easily raise the frame and fingers against the action of the spring.

8. ln a mechanism of the class described, the combination with a flap, a shaft, a ratchet sleeve mounted upon said shaft, a friction sleeve drum carried by said ratchet sleeve, said friction sleeve drum provided with means for increasing its frictional resistance upon said ratchet sleeve, means connecting said flap to said frictional sleeve drum, and means for imparting rotary movement to said shaft and thereby causing said connecting means to bewound upon said frictional sleeve drum.

9. In a mechanism of the class described, the combination with a frame, of a flap supported upon said frame, a winding' device carried by said frame, said winding device including a ratchet sleeve and a frictional sleeve drum, said frictional sleeve drum provided on its inner face with a semi-circular adjustable band, a screw carried by said frictional sleeve drum and in engagement with said band, for adjusting its frictional resistance with respect to said ratchet sleeve, means connecting said winding device to said flap, and means for actuating said winding device for causing the flap to be ad- `iusted in a vertical plane through the connecting means drawing or pulling upon the flap as the winding device is actuated.

l0. In a stabilizer device for an aeroplane, the combination with a plurality of constantly actuated drive shafts, of a pluality of winding drums adapted to be clutched to said shafts and in axial alinement therewith, and a pendulum device positioned intermediate said drums operative to selectively effect the clutching of said drive shafts to said drums upon the swinging of said pendulum device.

ll. A stabilizer for aeroplanes, comprising a drive shaft, a winding drum, a normally inoperative clutch between said drum and shaft, a lever for controlling said clutch, a pendulum adapted to engage the lever to operate the same, and means for varying the position of the lever with respect to the pendulum.

l2. A stabilizer for aeroplanes, including a drive shaft, a driven shaft, a ratchet sleeve adapted to be clutched and engaged to said driven shaft automatically, and a winding drum frictionally engaged with said ratchet sleeve.

13. A stabilizer for aeroplanes, including` a drive shaft, a driven shaft, a ratchet sleeve adapted to be clutched and engaged to said driven shaft automatically, a winding drum frictionally engaged with said ratchet sleeve, and means for varying the friction between the drum and sleeve.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afliX-my signature.

CHARLES H. ROSSEEL. 

